Quick-acting knife switch



Een

Patented Dec. 39, 1924,

UNITED STATES PRODUCTS COMPANY.

QUICK-ACTXNG Application filed November To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK F. Fonsnan, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flint, in the county` of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Quick-Acting Knife Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switches and particularly to operating mechanisms therefor.

One object of my invention is to provide a quick-acting knife-blade switch that shall be simple and durable in construction, effective in operationand economical to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick-acting knife-blade switch having such construction that a relatively slight movement of an actuating member will operate the switch. f

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character that shall have an automatically shiftable fulcrum` member for a toggle-lever operating mechanism,

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved lever and biasing mechanism for a knife-blade, or other relativelyV large, switch that shall occupy a relatively small amount of space.

`Heretofore7 in adapting .laufe-blade switches for operation upon the time-actuating snap or quick-acting principle, it has been necessary, in certain of these devices, to employ relatively cumbersome and eX- tensive auxiliary means. This was due to the relatively great throw of the movable parts and the greater leverages which, therefore, came into play.

In practicing my invention, l provide a knife-blade switch adapted for automatic actuation at predetermined time intervals in which the biasing or snap-actuating mechanism is of relatively compact construction and in which the relatively great movement of the blade is effectively reduced in the actuating mechanism. This is accomplished by the novel relation o-f a spring and a floating link to the switch.

`Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view, partially in section and partially in side elevation, of 4 switch embodying my invention and a time-actuating mecha- PATET OFFICE.

FRANK F. FORSHEE, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSEGNOB- TG A COROR "WESTNGHGUSE ELECTRIC MICHIGAN.

TIGN OF SUITCH.

20, i919. Serial ITo. 339,266.

nism therefor.y and VFig. 9. is a view of the switch taken at right angles to Fig. l.

1n general, my device comprises a doublepole. knife-blade switch l having the usual pivot-supporting jaw members 2 for the support of knife-brade members 3, jaw members 4, an insulating base 5, a supporting plate or member G and a spring-andlever or toggle mechanism 7. A usual transverse insuiating bar or member' 8, attached to the outer ends of the blade members 3, carries a handle 9 that is adapted, in an open position of the switch, to project into the path of a roller or other proiection l() at the end of a lever ll that is attached to a` winding stem l2 of an ordinary alarm clock 13, or otherwise mounted, and actuated to engage the handle 9 at a prede` termined time.

rod or bar 14:, rigidly disposed on the member 8 in substantially parallel relation to the blade members 3 and projecting oppositely to the handle 9 to a point beyond the pivot-supporting jaw members 2, is pivoted at its outer end, by a pin 15, to one end of floating link 16 that extends through an opening 17 in` the member 6.

The other end of the link 16 is attached to one end of a spring` 18 that may be anchored.`

at its other end, by any suitable t as by a holt 19 and nuts Q0 that may also serve to secure the base member 5 to the member lu movingv thc switch from the closed, or full-line, position to the open. or dotted-line, position, the blade members B, by reason of their relation to the mechanism 7, pass through a neutral position, on either side of which the blade members 3 are biased, by the spring 18, towards their open or closed positions.

During` the closing and opening operations. the link 16 slides along an edge 21 of the member G adjacent to the opening 17 and, thereby, automatically changes the fulcrum; of the link. This feature of changeable fulcrum for the mechanism 7,together with the novel arrangement of parts, permits the mechanism to be smaller and more compactly arranged and the handle 9 to be actuated by a relatively small amount .of movement of the lever 11.

While l have shown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be effectedl therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A switch comprising a pii'oted lfnifeblade member, a member extending trans versely therefrom, a projecting member operatively connected to said. transverse member and extending substantially parallel to the blade member, to one side of the pivot point of the latter, resilient means for bias ing the blade member, a floating link morably connected to said projecting member and to said means, and means engaging the link intermediate its ends for directing the movement thereof.

2. A switch comprising a pivoted knifeblade member, a projecting member operatively connecte-d to the blade member and extending substantially parallel to the blade member, to a point at one side of the pivot point of the latter, resilient means for biasing the blade member, a floating link moi# ably connected to said projecting member and to said means, and means engaging the link intermediate its ends for directing the movement thereof.

3. A switch comprising a supporting member, a pivoted blade member supported on one side thereof, resilient means for biasing the blade disposed on another side of the supporting member, a link for joining the blade to said means, said supporting member engaging the link intermediate its ends for directing the movement thereof.

t. A switch comprising a supporting member having an opening therein, a piroted blade member supported on one side of the supporting member, resilient means for biasing the blade disposed on another side of the supporting member, and a link extending through said opening for joining the blade to said means.

5. A switch comprising a supporting member having an opening therein, :i

pivoted blade member supported on one side of the supporting member, resilient means for biasing the blade disposed on another side of the supporting member, and a link extending through said opening for joinA ing the blade to said means, said support-- ing member constituting a fulorum for the link.

6. A switch comprising a pivoted contact member provided with a member extending beyond its point of pivotal support, a lever pivoted to the extending member and normalljv angularlj' disposed with .respect theie to, means or exerting tension on the lever,v and a fixed guide member for limiting the degree of angularity between the lever and the said extending member.

7. A switch` comprising a piroted contact member iliroif'ided with e member ext-ending beyond its point of pivotal support. a lever pivot-ed to the extending member and normail)7 angulzrly disposed with respect there to, means for constantly exerting tension on the lever, and a fixed guide member on which the lever is slidable upon a change in the degree of angularity between the lever and the said extension.

8. A switch comprising a supporting member, a pivoted blade member supported on one side thereof, resilient means for biasH ing the blade disposed on another side of the supporting member, a link for joining the blade to said means, and means cngaging the link at successive points intermediate its ends for directing the more ment thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of November, 1919.

FRANK F. FORSHICIC, 

